Preview
With the news of Memphis' pending arrival to the Big East and the pairing of now-forgotten Boston College as Syracuse's future ACC rival, the denizens of the Carrier Dome might have a sense of finality with Georgetown's arrival Wednesday to meet the #2-ranked Orangemen. Wednesday's New York Post article is titled "Syracuse, Georgetown Meet, Maybe For Last Time". 2012 is probably not the end of the road for one of college basketball's great rivalries, but the end is not that far away, either.
For a second straight year, the game at the Carrier Dome is the undercard to ESPN's coverage of Duke-North Carolina. (The opener may be the better game.) Returning four starters from last season's 27-8 team, Syracuse has won its 23 games to date by an average of 17 points a game, holding opponents to just 60.8 points per game. The Orangemen have allowed more than 70 points just once in Big East play this season, and can run a team off the floor with its stable, sturdy zone defense. Georgetown met the challenge in 2011, with a masterful 64-56 win at the Dome, but Syracuse hasn't lost a home game since, and will look for its 19th straight before the home crowd Wednesday.
For Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, the 23-1 start to the season has come with its share of unwelcome distraction. From the truce between Boeheim and university officials over Syracuse's move to the ACC, to the uncomfortable surroundings around the investigation of former assistant coach Bernie Fine, to the unforeseen absence of Fab Melo at mid-season, the 2011-12 season has not lacked for drama for a coach who would rather avoid the attention. It remains to be seen whether the grand old man of the Big East will continue to coach the Orangemen into the ACC but one thing is certain: the depth and experience of the 2011-12 team represents Boeheim's best chance for a national title in a decade.
Across the court, the names have changed for Georgetown, but the challenge remains the same.
Syracuse's starters are all familiar to Georgetown fans. Scoop Jardine returns at the point having improved his shooting percentage from 37% last season to 44.3% in 2011-12, and is third on the team in Big East play in three point field goals, one of the few statistics Syracuse is not strong from. Jardine's 2.73: 1 assist to turnover ratio cannot be overlooked, and his 7.5 ppg average in Big East is more a reflection of the talent around him rather than any struggle to shoot. In last year's game at the Carrier Dome, the defensive effort of Chris Wright held Jardine to 2-7 from the floor and seven points. Two weeks later, with Wright sidelined, Jardine led the Orangemen at Verizon Center with 17 points and seven assists. The challenge to Markel Starks, who averaged six points in two games last season, will be to cut off Jardine's passing lanes and avoid the early fouls which have followed Starks into February in Big East play. Anything more than six points from Starks will be looked upon favorably, because it will release defensive pressure off Jason Clark.
For his part, Clark has been a defensive star against many of the best guards in the Big East, and will be tested again Wednesday by Syracuse's Brandon Triche. Averaging 10.2 ppg on 45 percent shooting in Big East play, Triche is coming off a 1-6 effort in its most recent game against St. John's. Triche was a combined 4-14 against the Hoyas last season, but still remains the best option from the Orangemen from three point range and must be covered carefully. He is also fearless at the free throw line, averaging 90 percent in conference play.
Syracuse tends to overwhelm its opponents in the frontcourt. Kris Joseph's leadership comes on both sides of the court, and his 13 point, eight rebound effort versus the Redmen is evidence of this. First on the team in scoring, second in rebounds and third in assists, Joseph can be a contributor on nearly every play, and if Hollis Thompson is healthy, he'll work to keep Joseph from an inside game that lends itself to easy mid-range jumpers. As with Triche, Hoya fans didn't see Joseph at his best last season (a combined 6-17) but he is capable of big things.
Three years ago, a Georgetown recruit named DaShonte Riley passed on the Hilltop to play at Syracuse but never made an impact, finally transferring to Michigan State. A year ago, it was Rakeem Christmas that chose orange over blue and gray, and Christmas has settled into the starting lineup with steady if understated play. Syracuse forwards tend to improve as they mature, so the expectations for Christmas are tempered at this point--his 2.9 points and 3.5 rebounds are a good start and his seven rebounds against St. John's were some of his best work of the season. Christmas shares time in the lineup with two other reserves and the challenge for Nate Lubick is to wear Christmas down defensively without himself getting into early foul trouble. Neither will be expected to carry the load offensively, but you can't give up the easy basket, either. For Lubick, his confidence tends to wane where he doesn't get a good start to the game. Lubick shot only 1-3 at the Dome last year, and needs better numbers this time around.
Syracuse center Fab Melo has emerged from a season-long doghouse in 2010-11 to become an NBA draft target in his sophomore year. (Things were so bad for Melo last year that Boeheim once pulled him after the opening jump and he didn't play the rest of the game.) This season, Melo's improved touch and his sheer bulk (7-0, 250) have elevated him into the upper tier of Big East centers and has largely run unopposed in the lane, averaging 66 percent from the field, with 5.8 rebounds and nearly four blocks a game. Against the Hoyas last season, Melo played just 10 minutes and scored a combined two points in two games. Melo should be much more prominent in this game, and the task to Henry Sims is to keep Melo from establishing position in the blocks offensively while luring him outside on defense where Sims can move across the lane and put melo in risk of foul trouble. Melo remains vulnerable to pick up fouls and averages just 22 minutes a game as a result.
Syracuse's major advantage in this game will come from the bench. While GU can fairly match strength for strength with the starting five of Syracuse, the Hoya bench is too young and too thin inside if bench play takes over.
Sophomore guard Dion Waiters could start on any team in America but he's the understudy to Triche and is the best sixth man in the conference, averaging 12.4 points a game. Sophomore C.J Fair is a strong second option to Christmas in uptempo lineups, averaging 8.5 points and 5 rebounds a game, and 6-8 junior James Southerland (7.6 ppg) isn't far behind. Add the underrated defensive talent of 6-5 freshman Michael Carter-Williams (3.3 ppg) and 6-10 sophomore Baye Moussa Keita (2.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg), and the second string of the Orangemen could be a 9th or 10th place Big East team all its own. Depth, particularly in all phases and across all positions, gives the Orangemen a great advantage, perhaps a bigger advantage than even its formidable surroundings can provide.
Georgetown's opportunity is best summed up by a HoyaTalk post that outlined what went right last year, and what needs to go right this time around:
"I re-watched last year's game at the dome on DVR. A few observations...
1. I was surprised that we were ranked 11th for that game and Syracuse was 13th.
2. We got off to a good start and held the lead for a good part of the first half.
3. We turned it over maybe once in the first half. Once.
4. We shot 50% from 3.
5. We limited their possessions to one shot as we controlled the defensive boards.
6. The guys looked very decisive passing into and out of the zone. No standing around.
7. Syracuse had essentially the same personnel as this year's squad minus Rick Jackson.
8. Jason played good D on Triche. Hollis played good D on Joseph. We played man for most of the game.
9. We played small for a large part of the game with our 3 guard unit, at times even having Markel sub in for one of the Run-DMV guys.
Different year. Different Hoya personnel. Same recipe for success?"
Some additional keys to the game:
Keys to the game:
Points In The Paint: Syracuse was +32 over St. John's Saturday. but the teams were statistically even in last year's game in Syracuse. A big stat to watch.
Points Off Turnovers: Georgetown was +9 in the first game last season, -5 in the second.
Three Pointers: Syracuse can struggle from outside. Confront them.
Bench Points: For all the gaudy numbers with Syracuse's bench this season (a +30 vs. St. John's), the Orangemen and Hoyas were even on the bench in the two games last season. Anything less than double figures for Syracuse reserves could be significant for a Georgetown bench that could use a big game from Otto Porter and Jabril Trawick, each of whom will have their first introduction to the 30,000+ crowd.
Georgetown's approach as an underdog will provide an interesting backstory to the game. A good early start and a better first half than what fans have become accustomed to could set the #12 Hoyas up for a spirited second half, and then, you take your chances.
With the news of Memphis' pending arrival to the Big East and the pairing of now-forgotten Boston College as Syracuse's future ACC rival, the denizens of the Carrier Dome might have a sense of finality with Georgetown's arrival Wednesday to meet the #2-ranked Orangemen. Wednesday's New York Post article is titled "Syracuse, Georgetown Meet, Maybe For Last Time". 2012 is probably not the end of the road for one of college basketball's great rivalries, but the end is not that far away, either.
For a second straight year, the game at the Carrier Dome is the undercard to ESPN's coverage of Duke-North Carolina. (The opener may be the better game.) Returning four starters from last season's 27-8 team, Syracuse has won its 23 games to date by an average of 17 points a game, holding opponents to just 60.8 points per game. The Orangemen have allowed more than 70 points just once in Big East play this season, and can run a team off the floor with its stable, sturdy zone defense. Georgetown met the challenge in 2011, with a masterful 64-56 win at the Dome, but Syracuse hasn't lost a home game since, and will look for its 19th straight before the home crowd Wednesday.
For Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, the 23-1 start to the season has come with its share of unwelcome distraction. From the truce between Boeheim and university officials over Syracuse's move to the ACC, to the uncomfortable surroundings around the investigation of former assistant coach Bernie Fine, to the unforeseen absence of Fab Melo at mid-season, the 2011-12 season has not lacked for drama for a coach who would rather avoid the attention. It remains to be seen whether the grand old man of the Big East will continue to coach the Orangemen into the ACC but one thing is certain: the depth and experience of the 2011-12 team represents Boeheim's best chance for a national title in a decade.
Across the court, the names have changed for Georgetown, but the challenge remains the same.
Syracuse's starters are all familiar to Georgetown fans. Scoop Jardine returns at the point having improved his shooting percentage from 37% last season to 44.3% in 2011-12, and is third on the team in Big East play in three point field goals, one of the few statistics Syracuse is not strong from. Jardine's 2.73: 1 assist to turnover ratio cannot be overlooked, and his 7.5 ppg average in Big East is more a reflection of the talent around him rather than any struggle to shoot. In last year's game at the Carrier Dome, the defensive effort of Chris Wright held Jardine to 2-7 from the floor and seven points. Two weeks later, with Wright sidelined, Jardine led the Orangemen at Verizon Center with 17 points and seven assists. The challenge to Markel Starks, who averaged six points in two games last season, will be to cut off Jardine's passing lanes and avoid the early fouls which have followed Starks into February in Big East play. Anything more than six points from Starks will be looked upon favorably, because it will release defensive pressure off Jason Clark.
For his part, Clark has been a defensive star against many of the best guards in the Big East, and will be tested again Wednesday by Syracuse's Brandon Triche. Averaging 10.2 ppg on 45 percent shooting in Big East play, Triche is coming off a 1-6 effort in its most recent game against St. John's. Triche was a combined 4-14 against the Hoyas last season, but still remains the best option from the Orangemen from three point range and must be covered carefully. He is also fearless at the free throw line, averaging 90 percent in conference play.
Syracuse tends to overwhelm its opponents in the frontcourt. Kris Joseph's leadership comes on both sides of the court, and his 13 point, eight rebound effort versus the Redmen is evidence of this. First on the team in scoring, second in rebounds and third in assists, Joseph can be a contributor on nearly every play, and if Hollis Thompson is healthy, he'll work to keep Joseph from an inside game that lends itself to easy mid-range jumpers. As with Triche, Hoya fans didn't see Joseph at his best last season (a combined 6-17) but he is capable of big things.
Three years ago, a Georgetown recruit named DaShonte Riley passed on the Hilltop to play at Syracuse but never made an impact, finally transferring to Michigan State. A year ago, it was Rakeem Christmas that chose orange over blue and gray, and Christmas has settled into the starting lineup with steady if understated play. Syracuse forwards tend to improve as they mature, so the expectations for Christmas are tempered at this point--his 2.9 points and 3.5 rebounds are a good start and his seven rebounds against St. John's were some of his best work of the season. Christmas shares time in the lineup with two other reserves and the challenge for Nate Lubick is to wear Christmas down defensively without himself getting into early foul trouble. Neither will be expected to carry the load offensively, but you can't give up the easy basket, either. For Lubick, his confidence tends to wane where he doesn't get a good start to the game. Lubick shot only 1-3 at the Dome last year, and needs better numbers this time around.
Syracuse center Fab Melo has emerged from a season-long doghouse in 2010-11 to become an NBA draft target in his sophomore year. (Things were so bad for Melo last year that Boeheim once pulled him after the opening jump and he didn't play the rest of the game.) This season, Melo's improved touch and his sheer bulk (7-0, 250) have elevated him into the upper tier of Big East centers and has largely run unopposed in the lane, averaging 66 percent from the field, with 5.8 rebounds and nearly four blocks a game. Against the Hoyas last season, Melo played just 10 minutes and scored a combined two points in two games. Melo should be much more prominent in this game, and the task to Henry Sims is to keep Melo from establishing position in the blocks offensively while luring him outside on defense where Sims can move across the lane and put melo in risk of foul trouble. Melo remains vulnerable to pick up fouls and averages just 22 minutes a game as a result.
Syracuse's major advantage in this game will come from the bench. While GU can fairly match strength for strength with the starting five of Syracuse, the Hoya bench is too young and too thin inside if bench play takes over.
Sophomore guard Dion Waiters could start on any team in America but he's the understudy to Triche and is the best sixth man in the conference, averaging 12.4 points a game. Sophomore C.J Fair is a strong second option to Christmas in uptempo lineups, averaging 8.5 points and 5 rebounds a game, and 6-8 junior James Southerland (7.6 ppg) isn't far behind. Add the underrated defensive talent of 6-5 freshman Michael Carter-Williams (3.3 ppg) and 6-10 sophomore Baye Moussa Keita (2.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg), and the second string of the Orangemen could be a 9th or 10th place Big East team all its own. Depth, particularly in all phases and across all positions, gives the Orangemen a great advantage, perhaps a bigger advantage than even its formidable surroundings can provide.
Georgetown's opportunity is best summed up by a HoyaTalk post that outlined what went right last year, and what needs to go right this time around:
"I re-watched last year's game at the dome on DVR. A few observations...
1. I was surprised that we were ranked 11th for that game and Syracuse was 13th.
2. We got off to a good start and held the lead for a good part of the first half.
3. We turned it over maybe once in the first half. Once.
4. We shot 50% from 3.
5. We limited their possessions to one shot as we controlled the defensive boards.
6. The guys looked very decisive passing into and out of the zone. No standing around.
7. Syracuse had essentially the same personnel as this year's squad minus Rick Jackson.
8. Jason played good D on Triche. Hollis played good D on Joseph. We played man for most of the game.
9. We played small for a large part of the game with our 3 guard unit, at times even having Markel sub in for one of the Run-DMV guys.
Different year. Different Hoya personnel. Same recipe for success?"
Some additional keys to the game:
Keys to the game:
Points In The Paint: Syracuse was +32 over St. John's Saturday. but the teams were statistically even in last year's game in Syracuse. A big stat to watch.
Points Off Turnovers: Georgetown was +9 in the first game last season, -5 in the second.
Three Pointers: Syracuse can struggle from outside. Confront them.
Bench Points: For all the gaudy numbers with Syracuse's bench this season (a +30 vs. St. John's), the Orangemen and Hoyas were even on the bench in the two games last season. Anything less than double figures for Syracuse reserves could be significant for a Georgetown bench that could use a big game from Otto Porter and Jabril Trawick, each of whom will have their first introduction to the 30,000+ crowd.
Georgetown's approach as an underdog will provide an interesting backstory to the game. A good early start and a better first half than what fans have become accustomed to could set the #12 Hoyas up for a spirited second half, and then, you take your chances.
